INVESTMENT FOCUS
We invest in life sciences and biopharmaceuticals in all stages of development.
ENTREPRENEURS
We assist the entrepreneur in all aspects of company building, including identifying key management hires, strategic planning, financings, IPO's, and managing exits.
INVESTMENT CRITERIA
We look for companies (1) with strong underlying technology, data, and intellectual property, (2) with a strong management team or the capacity to attract such a team, (3) which address unmet medical needs and large commercial markets, and (4) have a clear regulatory pathway.
ASSETS SOURCED GLOBALLY
Tioga Pharmaceuticals is based on a drug developed in Germany and licensed to a new company founded by Forward Ventures.
MAJOR BIOTECH LOCATION
Forward Ventures is located in San Diego, a major hub for biotech innovation.
COMPANY SPOTLIGHT
Syndax, led by Briggs Morrison and Michael Metzger, is developing a new drug to enhance the effect of immuno-oncology therapeutics.
INVESTMENT APPROACH
Each partnership provides diversification by disease, technology, and maturity. To be capital efficient, we deploy capital in a disciplined manner often tranched to clearly defined milestones.
TEAM APPROACH
The investment team provides complementary skill sets to each investment.
BOARD LEADERSHIP
The partners take leadership positions on the Board of their portfolio companies.
Investing in Life Sciences
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, USA
Investment Strategy
Forward Ventures, founded in 1990, has an excellent team of investment professionals with extensive experience in entrepreneurship, venture capital, biological sciences, operations, and corporate management. The most recent fund has focused on biopharmaceutical products in early clinical development, and we attempt to maximize returns by employing various mechanisms to achieve capital efficiency. We also leverage our internal expertise with portfolio company founders and management to generate strong returns for all. On several occasions, we have seeded companies from scratch to pursue compelling opportunities and have built strong management teams.
The firm is located in San Diego, one of the country’s top centers for biomedical research and innovation and one of the top biotechnology clusters for commercialization. Though headquartered in San Diego, we have invested throughout the United States, but we have sourced assets and technologies globally. As such, we have undertaken an initiative to explore cross-border investment opportunities with China so that we can leverage the advantages that either country has to offer. We have put a team together under Forward Pacific Ventures to explore these opportunities.